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In a quick change of policy regarding how customers schedule Genius Bar appointments via Apple’s online support webpage, Apple now requires users to sign in with a valid Apple ID. Now when customers are looking to make a Genius Bar appointment visit via Apple’s online reservations systems, they are now met with the screen seen above, noting that an Apple ID is needed to proceed.

According to the folks over at TechCrunch who first reported the shift in policy, Apple instituted the policy to ensure higher levels of control over support and appointments, including payments. In addition, customer information tied to an Apple ID such as outstanding support tickets can be accessed by the Genius Bar staff before a customer comes in, streamlining the process for both parties.

For those of you who have been in the loop, Apple seems to be busy revamping its customer support infrastructure over the past few months. This includes a recent price hike to the AppleCare+ for iPhone deductible. While the plan remains priced at $99 and covers two incidents per device, the accidental damage fee now runs $79, up from a previous cost of $49.